The Timeless Journey
by Petrael
Summary: For her birthday Hotaru was given a sword pendant, but neither Haruka, Michiru or Setsuna had given it to her. Now that she's in for her life, what will she do? Please R
1. A Present From Beyond

Chapter One: A Present from Beyond  
  
Hotaru smiled as she received her birthday gifts. A book   
from Setsuna, a piece of violin music from Michiru and a ball   
from Haruka. Among her other gifts was a silver sword pendant.   
Hotaru had no idea where it came from, but she was happy to have  
it. A small crystal was in the hilt of the sword, and there were  
designs all over it.  
Setsuna freaked out at it. Michiru and Haruka didn't   
understand why Setsuna was having such a cow over it. It was a   
normal sword pendant. They sold them at grocery stores and all   
over. It was possible one of Hotaru's friends hand picked it up,   
wrapped in an envelope, and stuck it in the mailbox.   
"Don't you know what this is?" Setsuna said as she   
grabbed it from Hotaru's hands. "This is the key to the planet!!"  
"Has Setsuna lost it or is it just me?" Haruka asked   
Michiru.  
"She's lost it. Setsuna, this is almost the same pendant   
Haruka and I saw at the drugstore when we picked up Hotaru's   
cake. You don't need to get all freaked out," Michiru said.  
Setsuna looked down at it and stopped. Her mood was   
tamed, or at least appeared to be. She laughed at herself.  
"Ha! I thought this was the key to Shijosei! How stupid   
of me!" Setsuna, who rarely ever laughed, cracked up right on   
the spot. "Now how about some cake?"  
***  
Hotaru got into bed. Her birthday had been wonderful.   
Even the pendant, which became Hotaru's favourite gift, was   
pleasing. Setsuna came in to kiss her good night. Haruka and   
Michiru had a night concert tonight, and they weren't going to   
be able to say good night.  
"Setsuna-mama, what's Shijosei? And what's about the   
key?"  
"Hotaru-chan, I didn't mean to flip out right in front of  
you. It's just been so long since I've seen something from the   
past," Setsuna explained. "I bet you want to know what it's all   
about, ne?"  
"Hai!" Hotaru sat up in bed.  
"Long ago, in the Silver Millennium there was a planet   
ruled by children. This planet was protected by a Senshi known as  
Sailorshijosei. Shijosei was seemingly fair and just, but a few   
of the children wanted to keep their youth. So they locked   
Shijosei away with their own powers. They used a sword which they  
transformed into a pendant to seal her so that only the person   
with the sword could release her. This," Setsuna held up the   
pendant, "is the sword. You are obviously the one who is supposed   
to release Shijosei from her sleep."  
"Wow," Hotaru thought. Setsuna didn't put the pendant   
down. "Can I see it?"  
Setsuna cautiously handed Hotaru the pendant. "Time for  
bed. You've got school tomorrow."  
"Okay." Setsuna took the pendant from Hotaru's hands. She   
took it with her downstairs as though she were keeping it from   
Hotaru. What could it mean? Hotaru thought as she curled up in   
bed. Her eyes closed and she was fast asleep.  
The next morning she woke up as she normally did, before  
everyone else. She tiptoed downstairs and grabbed a box of cereal.   
Pouring it in a bowl, she realised she didn't have her pendant.   
Setsuna had taken it last night, Hotaru remembered. She put the   
milk away and put the bowl on the table. She went searching   
through the house to see where Setsuna had hidden the pendant.   
She opened the cabinet where all the papers were kept, and lying   
on a bed of important papers was the sword pendant.  
Hotaru picked it up. "If you are special, show me." In   
her hands the sword began to grow. Soon it was as long as Chibi-  
Usa was tall. With the sword in her hands came a great sense and  
feeling of power. She felt herself subconsciously transform into  
Sailorsaturn. She had not gone into her Super form.   
"What is your purpose? Why did you choose me?" From the  
jewel on the hilt came the picture of a beautiful young girl.   
Her hair was white, reaching the ground. It was curly in a way   
and the strands were almost in clumps.  
"Please young senshi, I beg of you. My planet is in   
havoc," the girl said. "Use this sword and save our planet!"  
Hotaru felt inclined to, but she did not know how. "How   
do I find your planet? Who are you?"  
"The sword knows the way," the girl said before she  
disappeared.  
Hotaru looked at the sword. She could almost see through   
the blade. "Please, sword, help me save them. They need me." She   
felt herself fill with energy. "Guide me to your planet."  
At that moment, Setsuna ran downstairs to see Hotaru begin   
to transcend into her heavenly form. Michiru and Haruka were also   
there. "Hotaru, no!" they all screamed, but Hotaru couldn't be   
stopped now.   
She looked at them. Her eyes seemed happy. "I'll be back  
soon," she said. And she disappeared into the stars.   
"Chikuso!" Setsuna screamed.   
Hotaru, meanwhile, was in space. The sword pointed to a  
star. It seemed to know where to go. "Let's go!!!" she said. She  
knew this was the beginning of one long journey. 


	2. Shijosei

Chapter Two: Shijosei  
  
Hotaru opened her eyes. Strange, she thought, there   
were flowers all around her. Every type of flower she could   
think of. Lilies, roses, daffodils and more. All so   
beautiful. But the question that was burning in her mind   
was, 'where was she?'  
She reached for the sword but it was not beside her.   
She patted around her neck, but it was not there either. She   
also realised that she was no longer in her senshi form, but  
in her school uniform. She began to look around her to find   
the sword when her hand caught on the pendant.  
"Ow!" Hotaru yelped as the point broke the skin. Her  
blood ran off her hand and into the flower bed. It touched a  
single rose and all the flowers turned red. She concentrated  
on her hand and healed the wound. She then picked up the   
pendant and put it around her neck.  
"I guess I should look for life forms on this planet,"  
she said to herself. She stood up and began walking through   
the flower bed. As soon as she left the flowers she found   
herself in what looked like an abandoned town. It was quiet   
and slummy, but not as badly kept as one might think. Hotaru  
looked for any sign of life.   
"Hello?" she called through the town, nervously. "Is  
anyone here?"  
"Have you come to play with us?" a little girl said.  
She couldn't have been more than five or six. That's when   
Hotaru realised that there were several of these small   
children all around her. Their hair, even the young boys,   
was long and unkempt.  
"Play with us!" they said. The kids began to walk   
towards her as she backed away. They latched onto her and   
wrestled her to the ground. She could hear their voices   
saying, "Play with us, please! Play with us!"  
"Get off me!" Hotaru said. She thrashed about   
under the weight of the children, trying to throw them off  
of her.  
"Lay off, Yoochienko!" a voice rang from somewhere.  
The little children got off of her and backed away. Hotaru   
sat up and looked around to see where the voice came   
from.  
Out of an alley way a gang of children wandered out.   
The leader seemed to be the middle female child. Her black   
hair was curled in the back with two braided loops on the   
side. She had an eyepatch covering her right eye. Her cold   
blue eye was like nothing Hotaru had ever seen. She carried  
a vicious looking knife in her hand.  
"Who are you? What are you doing here?"  
"I, uh, I," Hotaru was so frightened she couldn't   
move. Sweat trickled down the back of her neck and her spine  
tingled.  
"Answer me. How did you get here?"  
"Well I, uh..."  
"Fine. If you're not going to talk, we'll sacrifice   
you at Crescent Tide!" the girl shouted.  
"Crescent Tide!" everyone said in unison.  
"Please don't!" Hotaru begged. "I have friends and   
family back at home who depend on me. I'm just nervous and   
scared."  
"Are you a senshi?" the girl asked.  
"A senshi?" Hotaru responded. She'd never thought   
she'd hear a word like that out of the kids.  
"That's right. A Sailor Senshi. A warrior for   
justice and peace and life," the girl sneered. "Do you have  
powers that can wipe out a race with a few words?"  
"No I'm not. I'm just an ordinary girl from my   
planet. I don't have powers like that," Hotaru lied. "People  
from my planet can transport themselves between planets and   
heal wounds, but nothing more than that."  
"Heal wounds?" the girl backed off from Hotaru,   
loosening the grip on the knife. Hotaru nodded, smiling.   
Then the stiff grasp on the knife returned, "Who are you? I  
don't know of any planet that has those type of powers!"  
"My name is Tomoe Hotaru, and I come from Earth,"   
Hotaru said.  
"Earth?" Again the girl loosened her grip on the   
knife. Again she tightened it.  
"But my home planet was somewhere else. It was   
destroyed in an attack," Hotaru responded almost frantically.  
"Well I guess that's okay... but you haven't   
answered some of my questions. How did you get here?"  
"I really don't know, I mean..." but the knife blade  
came towards her again and Hotaru began to talk. "I mean, I   
was trying to find another planet when I crashed on this   
one."  
"And why did you come here?" the girl said.  
"I wanted to get home, but I lost control and landed  
here," Hotaru said.  
"It looks like she's one of us," another girl said.  
This girl had black hair spiked over the front. Her skin   
was tanned, and she was smiling. "She's not like the   
Zettaishi."  
"The who???" Hotaru asked in wonder.  
"The Zettaishi." The leader's eyes became fierce.   
"They're a group of rebels intent on destroying our happy   
life. They're mostly elders, though many of them are even   
younger than us. However, we got stuck with the Yoochienko."  
"Why do they want to destroy your happy life?"  
"Because they don't like the gift that was bestowed   
upon us all," the black haired girl said. "The gift of   
freedom and eternity!"  
"But they do not appreciate the gift and call it a   
curse. You must be tired from your journey," the leader   
commented. "Come, to rest."  
"But where are all the adults on this planet?" Hotaru  
asked, wondering.  
"Adults?" the main girl said.  
"Yeah, you know. Men and women over eighteen who   
can smoke, drink beer, gamble and vote?" Hotaru knew   
suddenly by the confused expression on the children's   
faces that there were no adults on this planet.  
"There's no one like that here, however, the Elders  
might remember people like that," the black haired child said.  
"Where are the Elders?"  
"They are part of the Zettaishi. They don't like us,  
but there is one Elder on our side," the main girl offered.  
"She is one of the oldest people we know, but she was  
wounded in a large clash with the Zettaishi. We fear she may   
die before Crescent Tide comes," a white haired girl said.  
"You said that your people could heal peoples wounds,  
correct?" the main child asked of her.  
"Yes," Hotaru said, "but I get very weak after I do   
it."  
"That's all right. You can help us then, can't you?"  
the main child asked, no emotion showing on her face.  
"I guess, but first I want to know your names and why  
you live here without any adults," Hotaru said.  
"The story will come in good time, I can assure you.  
If you really must know, my name is Nao Katsuni," the leader  
said.  
"I'm Hanako Akabashi," the black haired child announced.  
The white haired girl joined in as well. "I'm Ayame   
Akino."   
One by one children announced their names left and   
right as they marched Hotaru to a sort of hotel, where the   
rooms had been kept fairly clean. Hotaru was glad that they   
weren't going to hurt her, but she was still afraid of what   
they could do. And what was the Crescent Tide celebration   
they spoke of? 


	3. Crescent Tide

Chapter Three: Crescent Tide  
  
Hotaru woke up the next morning to find herself in a large white bed. She couldn't remember for a moment where she was but soon remembered landing on the planet where only children lived. She got out of bed to find herself dressed in the same clothes she had arrived in.   
"I wish I could have a wardrobe change," Hotaru said. She felt dirty and unclean as she walked around her new room, cleaning up around the bed and making the bed as well. She then remembered the pendant, and her hand flew to her neck. It was still there.  
Hotaru sighed with relief and then spoke to it. "I wish you could give me a change of clothes." With a flash of light, Hotaru was dressed in a tight black top and a pair of dark blue jeans with fit perfectly. Over the shirt she wore a white trenchcoat. She looked down at herself.  
"Nice," she commented. She noticed that her school uniform was neatly folded on the bed, waiting for someone to wash them. She smiled and walked out of the room. She waited in front of what used to be the reception room until Nao came in to pick her up.   
A young Yoochienko came up to her. The little girl looked at her with her finger inside of her mouth. The girl's curly black hair fell to her rear end and she looked frightened. Hotaru knelt down and began to speak calmly to the girl.  
"Hello, what's your name?" the fifteen year old said.  
"Yuriko Kitazen," the girl said shyly.  
"That's a pretty name," Hotaru commented. She was about to say something else when a deeper voice came. It was masculine and loud, but Hotaru could not understand what it said at first.  
"Yuriko! Yuri-chan, come back here!" the voice called. Suddenly the most handsome young man appeared around the corner. He was taller than most of the male children but he was not the tallest. He had a headful of black hair and the most beautiful brown eyes. Hotaru was immediately taken with him.  
"Oh, hi!" he said when he noticed Yuriko was with Hotaru.  
"Hi," the words dripped out of Hotaru's mouth. She was taken with the young man's figure. He was neither thin nor fat, but just perfect with a little more meat on his bones. His lips were slightly parted.  
"You must be the girl everyone is talking about," the boy commented. Hotaru had trouble saying anything.  
"I guess..."  
"Ryo-chan! She's friendly. You should fall in love with her and get married and live happily ever after," Yuriko said.  
"Yuriko-chan, you know that's not allowed," Ryo said. "I'm Ryo and this is my twin sister, Yuriko."  
"Your tw... twin sister?" Hotaru was surprised. She had thought if they were siblings, Ryo was the older one.  
"Yeah. Some of the only twins born on our planet. Nao had some important business to take care of so she sent Yuriko and me to pick you up. However Yuriko ran ahead of me..."  
"I should be able to. I am sixteen, you know," Yuriko said with her hands on her hips.  
"But you look like you're six. If you would just grow up, I wouldn't have to keep treating you like a six year old," Ryo said.  
"I don't want to grow up, though. I want to stay a little kid forever," Yuriko said.   
Ryo sighed and grabbed his sister by the hand, "So Hotaru, how old are you?"  
"I celebrated my birthday a few days ago so I'm fifteen," Hotaru gave back.  
"Really, you don't look a day over twelve," Ryo said.  
"I guess that's a complement here, right?"  
"Yeah, you're not supposed to look older than fifteen, but I guess that's to be expected," Ryo explained.  
"Come on!" Yuriko said. "Nao is going to be angry if we don't hurry." Yuriko tugged at her brother's hand nearly pulling it off.  
"Well, I think you're very handsome," Hotaru whispered to Ryo. Yuriko lead the way to where an Official building once stood. It was still intact, but it had been gutted out over a hundred years ago. The paint on it was old and was peeling back. Hotaru entered the building with Ryo and Yuriko behind her.  
Nao was there talking to some other boys and girls. Some of them were Yoochienko while the others appeared to be anywhere from eight to fourteen. Hotaru approached Nao's desk.  
"It's nice to see you today. Welcome to my city hall. It's not much, but it's the best we can do. I see you have met my friends, Ryo and Yuriko Kitazen. I would like to introduce you to the rest of my council. You already know my advisors Hanako and Ayame. These," she motioned to three boys all about thirteen, "are Kenji Maruito, Kazuo Iwahira, and Masahito Hanasha, my generals. The girl over there is my Seer, Miwa Ikari."  
"Nice to meet you all," Hotaru bowed. They bowed back.  
"And this is my chooser, Kyoko Sakayama," Nao introduced. "She is the one who chooses who will be sacrificed for Crescent Tide if we do not capture someone."  
"What is all this about? Why do you sacrifice? Why do you live in such poverty?" Hotaru asked.  
"That's what it was like yesterday and before that, and before that," Nao said.  
"But what about before that?" Hotaru asked.  
"You mean in the Long Ago? In Mukashino?" Nao asked. Hotaru nodded.   
"Will you help us fight the Zettaishi?"  
"I'm not a fighter," Hotaru said. "But I'll help in any other way I can if you tell me the story."  
"All right, everyone gather around. The story of the Long Ago is going to be told again," Ayame said. For Hotaru, the realisation that almost everyone was here was a major shock to her.  
Nao began, "Long Ago, in Mukashino, all the children lived by the law of the Ancient Elders, the Furuihito. They, however, were unfair. They abused us, raped us, and forced us to do their work. However, the Elders called upon the Child who's name must not be spoken. She was a Sailor Senshi and was adored by all. We requested that she rid our world of the Furuihito, and she agreed.  
"The Senshi fought with the Furuihito for many years until they left the planet without us. Peace had come at last and the senshi ruled over us. But as the years went by, she did not age but the people of our planet did. We tried to keep from ageing. We did everything from keeping active to using anti-aging creams. Many of the elders passed the age of eighteen and began to rule over small communities of children. This upset the Senshi, and she banished them far away.  
"But still the people of our world were unhappy so one day three girls from another world found the senshi and stabbed a sword through her. They used their powers to seal her away and ensure that the senshi's power to remain young was now apart of us. Then one day those three disappeared and have never returned," Nao took a drink of water. "However a few centuries later we began to age rapidly, but only at the half moon. So every night during the Crescent Tide, we sacrifice one person to keep the senshi asleep and to keep from ageing."  
"That is my job," Kyoko said. "It is my duty to choose who will die for crescent tide. Usually we choose a birther or a Zettaishi we have captured. But if no one has been captured or has given birth, I must choose one of our own."  
"You will get your first Crescent Tide experience tonight. We will be sacrificing a birther," Nao said. There was no mercy in her voice.  
"A birther?" Hotaru asked, confused.  
"Yes. Here, nine months after a female gives birth, they are to be sacrificed for Crescent Tide. It is a sin to give birth, just as it is a sin to grow older," Nao replied. "The girl's name is Sachiko Haragawa and in truth she's a second time birther."  
"What right do you have to kill her?" Hotaru thought, but she didn't open her mouth.   
"As I said, tonight is Crescent Tide. In your closet back at the Hotel is a ceremonial dress. It should fit but there are others if it does not," Nao said. "The ceremonies begin at ten. I suggest you get plenty of rest. I will call for you at six to be my guest for dinner."  
"I will be there," Hotaru said. "I can find my way back to the hotel all right." Hotaru left the room and began to wander back to her hotel. She was nearly there when she heard something strange coming from an alleyway.   
Going to investigate, Hotaru found nothing out of the ordinary, but as she turned around to leave something grabbed her mouth and body and pulled her back. She tried to scream, but the hand over her mouth wouldn't let her open it. Instead she tried to make sounds, but the moment she did the person who held her touched her throat, and Hotaru fell limp.  
***  
When Hotaru came to, she was in a strange room with twenty other people. Fear immediately gripped her as she realised these people were the Zettaishi. The one that sat on the head throne had long brown hair which had the strands in clumps. Her eyes were a silver-blue combination and looked very old.  
"You!" Hotaru said softly. "It was you who told me to come here, through the sword."  
"And you must be the young senshi the sword found," the girl said. She stood up. To Hotaru she appeared to be about 16, but Hotaru knew it wasn't true. "You are probably wondering why we brought you here. We are who the Eienko call the Zettaishi. We fight so that we will die and be united with those who gave us life. Many of the Eienko have forgotten the adults who raised us and gave birth to us. They are more concerned with keeping their eternal youth than the memories of their past."  
"But why do you fight them?" Hotaru said. "Why do you not see eternal youth as a gift?"  
"We used to. We used to believe it was a gift of immeasurable power, but the more children that were born, the more we realised we needed our adult providers," the lady said. "It's been over two-thousand years since the Senshi was put down. We do not want to die by their blades nor by their sacrificial rites. We want to grow up, raise a family and live as long as we can. But we would rather die by sword than by rite."  
"What us your name?" Hotaru asked.  
"My name, child, is Enzeru Kitazen. Kudasai, help this world," Enzeru said.  
"You said that before. What do you mean?"  
"Without the adults, our world cannot survive with just the children. You must find a way to end the killing. Kudasai..." Enzeru said. Then as if in a dream, everything faded out and Hotaru found herself in her bedroom with Ryo, staring at her.  
"Did you say something?" Hotaru asked  
"I said, 'It's time to go to the ceremony.' I can see you're already dressed, but you were so zoned out I was afraid I was going to have to call Nao. Are you ready to go?"  
Hotaru nodded. Ryo took her to the celebration. It was, in truth, a wonderful time. There was dancing and rejoicing. Hotaru felt right at home here. There were all sorts of good foods and laughter.  
Hotaru joined in the dancing when she saw Nao and Kyoko dressed up. Kyoko had on a ritual like gown and her hair was done so that it appeared to be standing straight up in the back. Kyoko also wore plenty of jewelry and beads. The headdress she wore was red and covered with jewels.  
Nao watched over the ceremony with a watchful eye, making sure nothing was going wrong. Just then the clock struck midnight and all celebration stopped. The clouds began to roll in and bump against each other. Hotaru knew it meant a storm was brewing. The wind blew carrying a familiar scent.  
A girl was brought out of where she was being held. She walked as though she was accepting her destiny. She didn't struggle against those who were holding her. She was dressed in a long blue dress with a train. A chain headband held up a single blue jewel.  
The two young men holding her lead her up to a platform that Hotaru could tell would be where she would die. The girl kept her head held high. It was almost as though she was glad to die. Nao and Kyoko approached her  
"Sachiko, you have given birth to two children," Nao began. "You have abused the meaning of being an Eienko. Do you understand?"  
"Hai," Sachiko said, emotionlessly.  
"Do you completely understand your punishment?"  
"Hai," Sachiko again spoke.  
"You understand your sacrifice will insure the youth of the rest of us?"  
"Hai," Sachiko spoke.  
"Then let Crescent Tide commence," Kyoko said. Sachiko's arms and legs were tied to a metal cross. She was then strung up into the sky. Kyoko and Nao looked to the sky and began to speak the ceremony's words.  
"Kaminari, inabikari, kure. We are your master. Obey our words and strike the cross with all of your might," they said.   
Hotaru, as the senshi of death and destruction, had seen death occur many times before and had even caused and committed thousands of murders. Yet never had she seen one as horrible as this one. The innocent girl who was strung up on the cross looking so emotionless made Hotaru think of every bad thing she had ever done.  
The moment before lightning struck the cross, the girl looked at Hotaru and said something only Hotaru could hear.  
"Shijosei, protect me." Hotaru could feel warmth emanating from the sword. Afraid it was going to grow, Hotaru put her hand on it. She turned as Sachiko was struck by lightning. Then she fainted. 


	4. The Choice

Chapter Four: The Choice  
  
It was awhile before she woke. She was in her own bed  
at the moment with Nao, Kyoko, Yuriko and Ryo standing near   
her. She couldn't believe what had just happened.  
"Good, you're awake," Nao said. "The Zettaishi are on   
the verge of attacking. We must be prepared to fight. If you   
truly have healing power, you should come with me to the   
healing building."  
Nao, Kyoko, Yuriko and Ryo walked out. Hotaru removed  
the pendant from inside her shirt. She put it near her face   
and began to cry.  
"I've been responsible for the deaths of millions, but  
when it's not my fault I can't help but cry," Hotaru said.   
"What's wrong with me?"   
The picture of Enzeru appeared. "Don't cry, child. It's  
not your fault and you shouldn't feel any responsibility for   
her death."  
"Nao told me you are about to attack," Hotaru said.  
"Yes, we are about to attack the Eienko for the last   
attempt to destroy Nao."  
"No, there must be another way," Hotaru said.  
"There is no other way. She killed another innocent   
person tonight. She must not be allowed to kill anymore,"   
Enzeru said. She disappeared.  
Hotaru got off her bed and walked out of the room. A   
transport carriage was waiting for her. She got inside of it   
and was wisked to the healing center where new wounded already  
lay in the stalls. Hotaru knew she would be very weak before   
this was over, but she got up her strength and began to start   
healing those in need.  
Hotaru collapsed before she could finish her final   
child. She was too weak to do anymore, but the news that was   
to come would be even more devastating.  
When Hotaru woke, Nao was standing by her bed. With an  
eye full of tears, she began, "Ryo and Kyoko were killed."   
Hotaru felt her stomach drop. "There was nothing that could be  
done."  
"Where are their bodies?" Nao lead Hotaru over to a   
table where Kyoko lay, a gash through her stomach and in her   
neck. Ryo was no where to be found.  
"Ryo's body was taken by the Zettaishi. We don't know  
what they've done with it," Nao said. Hotaru realised Yuriko   
was holding onto Nao's hand and crying. Hotaru accepted the   
fact that she would never see Ryo again. She almost felt like   
screaming.  
"Well I guess..." But Hotaru couldn't say anything   
comforting. She was too heartbroken.  
***  
Nearly two weeks passed and Crescent Tide was beginning  
again. Hotaru was still hurting inside over Ryo's death. She   
had not talked to Enzeru since the attack, but she figured she  
should.   
"Child," Enzeru said. "It has been a long time."  
"Where is Ryo?" she asked sternly. Enzeru smiled   
happily.  
"He is recovering nicely. Do not worry about him. He   
was never seriously hurt," Enzeru explained.   
"Why did you take him?"  
"Listen, child, Nao is going to use you as the   
Chooser. You are going to have to choose one of the prisoners   
to die at Crescent Tide. One of them is a key figure in our   
plan. Ryo, some others and I are going to sneak in and take   
him back tonight. You must keep Nao from the room." Enzeru   
disappeared and the sword went back to it's pendant size.  
Hotaru concealed it, but not well enough. Nao had seen   
her talking with Enzeru.   
***  
Hotaru sat on her bed waiting for Nao to come to get  
her, but Nao didn't show up all night. Then Hotaru realised   
what had happened. She got of the bed and ran to the holding  
cell. Nao was standing there with Masahito, Kuroi and Asa who  
were holding Ryo and two others. Yuriko was also there next   
to Nao.  
"How did you know?" Hotaru said.  
"I was lucky enough to see your conversation with the   
girl. What a shame she didn't have the guts to come and face   
her death with the others. Ryo will take her place this   
Crescent Tide. You were such a traitor you know?" Nao said to   
Ryo. Yuriko looked at her brother with a look of disgust and   
hatred.  
"I thought you were going to have me chose who would   
die!" Hotaru said. Nao smiled and shook her head.  
"I planned on it and I came over, but you were talking  
to the leader of the Zettaishi through something," Nao   
laughed. "So instead I chose that she would be the one to   
die."  
"Then you picked the right one," Ryo said. Nao looked   
at him. On his belt was a small pack. He clicked it and the   
face of Enzeru appeared over his own. Nao just laughed more.  
"So that explains a lot," Nao said. "That explains why  
you would always disappear on me for no particular reason. It  
explains what that little thing is."  
"Why did you do it?" Hotaru asked.  
"The girl, Enzeru, was my mother..." Ryo said as   
Masahito took him away. Hotaru turned to Nao.  
"Why did you do that? He's just fighting for what he   
believes is right," Hotaru spoke harshly. Nao's expression   
didn't change.  
"Crescent Tide is tomorrow night. You are my new   
Chooser and you must be there, dressed in the same gown as   
Kyoko. It will be transported to your home," Nao said. She   
felt no pity.  
***  
Hotaru had cried herself to sleep that night. Ryo   
would die tomorrow and it would be her fault. She had felt for  
him unlike she had ever felt toward anyone, even Haruka and   
Michiru. She knew she had to try and reason with Nao or two   
people would die tomorrow.  
She looked at herself in the mirror. Her eyes had aged  
and her hair was much longer now. She was tired and her tear-  
stained face was all that kept her from crying more. More than   
anything she wanted to be near Ryo. But she soon realised that   
she would be able to talk to him being the Chooser.  
She dressed in a new outfit, provided by the sword and   
walked out of the hotel. She ventured around town to see where   
Ryo was. She was allowed a few minutes of privacy by the   
guards.  
"I'm sorry I got you into this mess, Ryo," Hotaru   
apologised, holding his hands through the bars. "I didn't   
mean to..."  
"It's all right. I should have known Nao would be   
watching me and you," he responded. "You still have the   
pendant, right?"  
"Hai," Hotaru said. "Ryo, you said Enzeru was your   
mother."  
"Her name was Enzeru Kitazen. She was sacrificed at   
Crescent Tide when she was the Chooser. She gave up her own   
life to save her sister's to repay a debt. She never told   
anyone about us but before she was sacrificed she gave the   
pendant to me, telling me to let it find the Senshi who   
could set everyone free. My aunt has one too, but this it   
the real thing."  
"I guess I..."  
"Don't worry about it. You must find some way to escape  
and awaken the Senshi before it is too late," Ryo said. Then he  
whispered, "I love you, and would do anything to protect you."   
Masahito came in and dragged Hotaru from the room.  
Hotaru found small ways to pass the time until  
Crescent Tide. She got dressed up in the purple dress and   
red headdress and walked toward the ceremony. She didn't   
feel like joining the ceremony so instead she went to the   
place where the sacrifice was soon to occur. When the   
clock hit twelve, everything stopped. Masahito and Kuroi   
led Ryo to the stage area.   
"Ryo, you have been convicted of being a traitor," Nao  
began. "You have abused the meaning of being an Eienko. Do you  
understand?"  
"Hai," Ryo said, emotionlessly.  
"Do you completely understand your punishment?"  
"Hai," Ryo again spoke.  
"You understand your sacrifice will insure the youth of  
the rest of us?"  
"Hai," Ryo spoke.  
"Is there anyone willing to take the place of this   
man?" Nao asked. At that moment, Hotaru realised Nao's   
intentions, and decided she would go right along with it.  
"I will," Hotaru said. Heads turned to see Hotaru walk  
up to the cross. "I will take the place of this man. He was   
fighting for the planet, not for any group imparticular." Nao   
smiled.  
"Do you understand what this means?" Hotaru was asked.   
Hotaru simply nodded.  
"No Hotaru don't!" he said as they began to string her  
to the cross. She smiled at him.  
"Don't worry. I know what I'm doing," Hotaru said,   
though she had no idea of what she was going to do. Hotaru's  
arms and legs were tied to the metal cross. She was then   
strung up into the sky. Nao looked to the sky and began to   
speak the ceremonial words.  
"Kaminari, inabikari, kuru. I am your master. Obey my  
words and strike the cross with all of your might," she said.  
But Hotaru fidgeted and somehow got her henshin wand   
into her hand. She spoke to herself, "Power of my Guardian   
Star of Death and Rebirth. Give me power outside my   
transformation. Give me the strength to use it." She screamed   
then, right before the lighting struck the cross, "Silent   
Wall!"  
The lighting struck down and tried to hit the cross   
several times. Each time Hotaru's defensive attack held up to  
the force. As they began to lower the cross Hotaru she said   
silently, "Saturn Planet Power, Make-up!" Purple light blinded  
everyone and when they looked again, a figure cloaked in a   
purple cape and hood stood atop the cross. In her hand was the   
blade that could destroy an entire planet if necessary.  
Her name was Sailorsaturn. 


	5. To Reason with the Devil

Chapter Five: To Reason with the Devil  
  
Hotaru threw back the cape to reveal herself to be a  
Sailor Senshi. Her hair had grown longer during her   
transformation and now reached her feet. The children looked up  
to see the girl. Nao's eye grew wider. Hotaru's purple eyes were   
opened, staring at Nao. She jumped from the top of the cross   
and landed in front of Nao.  
"Shijosei," Nao whispered.  
"The senshi above protected me. What are you going to do  
now?" Hotaru asked.  
"Attack!" Nao ordered. Everyone began to run at Hotaru,   
trying to fight her. Masahito was the first to reach her. He had   
a long saber in his hand and as he approached Hotaru, he jabbed   
the sword toward her. The Silence Glaive easily sliced through   
the thick metal of the sword and then through his arm, giving   
him a nasty flesh wound.  
Kenji and Kazuo attacked next, not fairing half as well   
as Masahito. There were several others who tried to maul Hotaru   
but were unable to break through her Silent Wall attack.   
As they began to regroup, Hotaru lifted the glaive up.   
"Silence Glaive! Surprise!" She brought it down on to the ground.   
Before her full attack could be initiated, Ryo threw himself in   
front of Nao. Hotaru pulled out of the attack, angered at Ryo   
for keeping her from using her final power.   
Nao pulled from her neck a pendant shaped like a foil.   
It morphed into a beautiful sword with jewels on the hilt. It   
was not as long as Hotaru's sword, but it was most likely more  
deadly.  
"My aunt has one too." The memory surfaced in Hotaru's   
mind. Then everything added up. Hotaru understood. She pulled   
the pendant from her own neck. The Silence Glaive disappearing,   
Hotaru commanded the sword to grow. When it was it's normal   
length, the girls began to sword fight.  
Nao knew Hotaru had sword and had easily made the   
connection between the two different people. As they fought,   
Hotaru added everything together and sliced the patch from   
Nao's eye. Underneath it was a red eye and a yellow iris,   
surrounding a white pupil.  
"So, you ARE a Sailor senshi. I never doubted it for a  
moment," Nao said.  
"And you are a birther and Ryo's aunt." The fighting   
stopped as everyone looked at Nao in a gasp. Nao closed her eye.  
"I should have guessed it from the moment I saw you."  
"You are very wise, girl," Nao spoke.  
"Your twin sister caused your eye to be like that long   
ago when you were barely starting out. She used this sword to   
do that," Hotaru said, holding the sword at Nao, "when she tried  
to force you to see her light."  
"Yes."  
"She felt bad that she had done it, and when you were   
going to be sacrificed at Crescent Tide, she came and took your   
place. You knew she and her children were of a Zettaishi but you  
believed that you could change their minds and points of view.   
You succeeded in brainwashing Yuriko, but because Ryo had the   
sword, his mind couldn't be altered."  
"Very good perception, senshi," Nao said. "But have you   
figured out who our mother was?"  
"Your mother was the senshi of this planet," Hotaru   
proclaimed.   
Nao smiled. "I knew you would figure it out, but almost   
too late. We will sacrifice someone tonight to ensure our youth.   
It won't be you or Ryo, but someone else who will give their life  
for the good of the others." No one came forward.  
"Face it, Nao-chan, you've lost. Your friends, the one   
who kept the secrets about your being a birther, are all dead.   
Kyoko was the last one to die. Now you must face the fact that   
without the adults your planet is dying. Without anyone to help  
this world survive your planet will die. That's what your sister  
and your nephew tried to tell you," Hotaru said.   
"This world will die if you don't allow yourselves to   
grow," Ryo told everyone. "I tried to grow beyond this but it   
is impossible. The Zettaishi understand what my mother and I   
said. They wanted to destroy Nao's authority and help you all see  
what you need to know."  
"But only children can be happy. The Furuihito hurt us,"  
a voice came from the crowd. The Zettaishi came into the   
celebration round. Dressed in armour, they prepared to attack,   
but Ryo told them to stand down.  
"That's right! They were evil toward us," another voice   
continued.  
"But the next generation can always keep from repeating   
the mistakes of the previous generation," Hotaru said.   
"She's right," one of the Zettaishi said. "We can always   
be better than our parents were."  
"You and your planet can't live any longer if there is  
no progression in the quality of life. The senshi can help if   
you allow her to awaken."  
Even Nao turned and looked at Hotaru as she spoke. She  
finally realised what her sister had been telling her before   
she died. Nao looked at Hotaru, then back at all the people.  
"If you all would like to continue as children, I'll   
understand, but if you want to grow up, we need to awaken the   
senshi as soon as possible. Does anyone want that to happen?"  
Everyone looked around at each other. They were all   
afraid of what would become of them if they allowed themselves  
to grow and change. Nao was the first to speak up.  
"I'll join you," Nao said.   
Masahito followed, wrapping his arm around Nao's waist,  
"I will too."  
Hanako walked up next to them. "Me too!"  
Everyone began to raise their hand or nod at Hotaru.   
Nao glanced at Hotaru. "I'll come with you to free her. I   
know where she is resting."  
"I'll come too," Hanako said.  
"So I guess it's decided. We'll leave tomorrow morning,"  
Nao said. Hotaru and Hanako nodded.  
***  
Hotaru's eyes opened the next morning before the sun   
had opened it's own eyes. She transformed and walked to where   
Hanako and Nao were waiting for her. They grasped hands and   
began to speak the words of the teleportation spell which would  
take them to the moon of Shijosei. 


End file.
